Next week is our last Supporters Group Alliance meeting for the year, so if you have questions for the likes of Jim and Mark, get them in.
As a reminder, the SGA is focused on the club's interaction with community, members and supporters on match days, online, and on topics like membership and apparel.
The SGA has now been around for just over 12 months. Our initial focus and priority was on the club reconnecting with fans through the 2024/25 pre-season. Our feedback and advice was used to help structure the fan days held across western Sydney. The Eels have continued with these fan days as a priority with the first one of this off-season already being held.
We've also got clarity on how membership packs are put together and provided robust feedback on what members want moving forward. I will be asking for an update on where things are at with looking into a new supplier for 2027 memberships.
We have been updated at our meetings on the club's approach to junior retention and pathways. While we don't provide direct feedback on footballing operations, we do ask questions around salary cap, contracting and squad composition.
I imagine Zac Lomax will be a topic for discussion next week alongside recruitment plans. We don't usually get in-depth info here for obvious reasons, but Mark has, in the past, answered questions regarding our salary cap expenditure and recruitment in broad terms.
Post your questions below if you have anything for the club leadership.
Replies
The coins seem to be constant now, is there a way to get a binder or something to collect? Could there be maybe a fan vote to decide the next coin etc?
Apparel: - Can we please align to a major clothing brand like Adidas as Macron deal ending in 2026.
Recruitment: Have had significant players removed off cap in 2025/26 - Gutho, RCG, Ofahengaue, Lomax, Brown, Lane plus the minor palyers with no significant recruit that is valued above what these palyers were on???? Whats going on? Surely a pool of cash is available to strike on key recruits
Go ask them if they have an overseas active scouting program.
Ask gentlemen Jim why Parra merchandise ie jerseys are so expensive and ask them if you can get a personalised jersey option with your own name on the jersey.
Quiz them about TPAs and after football options and if they are being used.If not why not.
Partnerships with overseas clubs have they investigated that option ESL NZ the pacific.
Profile of players they are after what's the number 1 go to when looking at recruiting the mentioned.
Expansion how has this effected our ability to recruit and is this going to be a sticking point going foward.
Pathway recruitment how far afield are we looking probably ties into the above recruitment question.
Like player coaching recruitment are we looking for the best in class in the front office also.
I'm not sure if your allowed to ask this Super in the current forum your participating in, but here we go.
Question: Are we investigating why we appear to fall down at the crucial part of recruitment, the closing of an in demand talented player and how this perception of missing out on them is influencing supporters and fans alike when it comes to buying club merchandise or attending games, or buying memberships.
Just as we see pathways as our long term player plan, the perception of being unable to sign a first choice recruitment player will effect long term our fan base. Kids follow stars and then as adults become rusted on supporters. If we can't get these stars at the Eels our youngest fans are never influenced to remain an Eel supporter for life. Long term this can be devestating for a fan base, and in kind a football club.
I think asking is not an issue more so the response as definately will give a professional script answer.
They will spin everything!!!
Can we get TPA sponsors to help out in our recruitment
If it's a third party agreement it by definition must be at arms length from the club and therefore can't be used to influence or attract recruitment.
Otherwise it'll be considered as part of the salary cap.
I know some clubs fly pretty close to the sun on these things, but the ones who do it successfully will never admit it openly.
Well Politis gets TPA's from his connections, as far as i know and could be wrong it is just cannot be involved with the club as a sponsor.
Laundy would be the same at Dogs.
>Politis gets TPA's from his connections
"At arms length" is the test that is used. Obviously the NRL is one of the worst regulated bodies on the planet and routinely applies rules inconsistently, but by the letter of the rules if either Politis or Laundy used contacts that were used to entice someone to sign with the club, then that agreement would be considered an "on cap" TPA because it's not at arms length.
A TPA is meant to be a direct deal organised between a player and a third party with zero affiliation with a club and can have zero relation or interaction with a club/NRL contract (eg the third party can't say "we will only sponsor you while you play for the Roosters").
Yes, clubs have tried to get around it lots of ways, but technically if it's not truly at arms length then the clubs are cheating the salary cap and could get caught and punished.
The way folks like Politis get away with it is by "opening doors" for his players - making introductions etc. There are obviously a lot of "nudge nudge wink wink" happening in the background where people who help the people that Politis wants helped (eg his players) end up with favours in the future. But none of it is contractual and all of it is implied gentlemans agreements. But even that, by the letter of the rules, is technically NOT an independent TPA and should be considered part of the cap.
-
1
-
2
-
3
of 3 Next